1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printing method for a thermal printer suitable for use with a word processor, a typewriter or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A thermal printer, such as that disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Publication No. 26245/1974, is arranged in such a manner that a heat-sensitive recording medium containing a reversible heat melting ink, i.e., an ink ribbon, is interposed between a recording paper and a thermal head, and the heat of the thermal head melts the ink contained by the ink ribbon so as to record a character, a symbol or the like on the recording paper.
These kinds of thermal printers have recently been widely used as output devices for office machinery and, as an example, they have been adapted for incorporation into word processors, electronic typewriters and the like. Such word processors or typwriters normally require a function for correcting characters, symbols and so forth recorded on paper, that is, a correcting operation. However, common conventional thermal printers have been so arranged that characters, symbols, etc. already recorded directly on the paper needed to be corrected. Thus they involve the disadvantage in that it is difficult to erase printed matter and if any error in printing is found, the printed section in error has to be manually corrected or alternatively reprinting must be effected.